Making the Illawarra and Shoalhaven a safer place to live

Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast Gareth Ward MP has today announced that local businesses and community groups in the Illawarra, Kiama and Shoalhaven are being encouraged to share their crime prevention ideas and apply for up to $250,000 in NSW Government funding.

Mr Ward said that more than $2.6 million is available as part of the $10 million Community Safety Fund which is designed to help locals make their neighbourhoods safer places to live.

“Crime has a significant impact on our community, which is why supporting projects that improve safety and reduce anti-social behaviour and reoffending is a great investment,” he said.

“Local residents understand local crime problems. To ensure these problems are best addressed, it is vital for us to have a say in the solution.

“I urge local businesses and community groups to put their heads together to develop creative strategies that will address the specific crime issues impacting their suburbs and towns.

“If local residents are going to enjoy their neighbourhood, they need to feel safe,” Mr Ward said.

The NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman said that these grants are available for initiatives that target anti-social behaviour, promote safe use of public spaces and encourage collaboration to reduce crime.

“Some of the ideas that have been funded include a mobile youth centre, a street beat program for at-risk Indigenous kids, security improvements for sporting fields and solar street lights to improve safety for pedestrians,” Mr Speakman said.

The NSW Minister for Police Troy Grant said the Community Safety Fund was launched in 2015 to support NSW in becoming an even safer place to live, especially in disadvantaged, regional and remote areas.

“The NSW Government is proud to support local projects to help people feel safe and proud of their community because together we can make a difference to reduce crime and fear of crime,” Mr Grant said.